Diabetes causes marked inhibition of mitochondrial metabolism in pancreatic β-cells

Nat Commun. 2019 Jun 6;10(1):2474. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-10189-x.

Abstract

Diabetes is a global health problem caused primarily by the inability of pancreatic β-cells to secrete adequate levels of insulin. The molecular mechanisms underlying the progressive failure of β-cells to respond to glucose in type-2 diabetes remain unresolved. Using a combination of transcriptomics and proteomics, we find significant dysregulation of major metabolic pathways in islets of diabetic βV59M mice, a non-obese, eulipidaemic diabetes model. Multiple genes/proteins involved in glycolysis/gluconeogenesis are upregulated, whereas those involved in oxidative phosphorylation are downregulated. In isolated islets, glucose-induced increases in NADH and ATP are impaired and both oxidative and glycolytic glucose metabolism are reduced. INS-1 β-cells cultured chronically at high glucose show similar changes in protein expression and reduced glucose-stimulated oxygen consumption: targeted metabolomics reveals impaired metabolism. These data indicate hyperglycaemia induces metabolic changes in β-cells that markedly reduce mitochondrial metabolism and ATP synthesis. We propose this underlies the progressive failure of β-cells in diabetes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / genetics*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / metabolism
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / genetics*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gluconeogenesis
  • Glucose / metabolism*
  • Glycolysis
  • Insulin Secretion
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / metabolism*
  • Metabolomics
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Mitochondria / metabolism*
  • NAD / metabolism
  • Oxidative Phosphorylation
  • Oxygen Consumption
  • Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying / genetics
  • Proteomics

Substances

  • Kir6.2 channel
  • Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying
  • NAD
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • Glucose